A collection of musically themed musings by Brendan Bush in Burlington, VT

Well it’s Friday again, and __insert mandatory cultural reference/rapture joke__, and I thought I’d share some more music. Kind of a bummer that the service I’m using to share this music, 8tracks, only has a flash player so this isn’t able to be heard on the convenience of say, your iphone. But I’ll live with it, and so will you. Cause other than that, it’s pretty cool, and I love that they let me embed the mix right onto this page.

As I announced on Facebook earlier this week, I’m hosting a show next Friday, May 27, at the SEABA Center on Pine St, featuring Brooklyn’s Girls In Trouble (conveniently found in this playlist). I’ll have more about that on Monday (I’m trying to line up an opening act), but for now, enjoy the aural warmth:

If you dig any of the music, listed below for your reference, please support the artists making it and pick up an album or two. The first time you play through this playlist, it’ll be in the order below. On subsequent listens, it’ll be randomized (legal mumbo jumbo).

I’ve picked up a few albums lately that have really stood out, and I wanted to recommend them in case you’re on the lookout for something new to listen to.

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
I admit to being a latecomer to the Fleet Foxes bandwagon – they wowed indie crowds with their self-titled debut in 2008, but I hadn’t heard their music until earlier this month when I bought their latest album. They play a very approachable folk-rock, with obvious influences of Simon & Garfunkel. They sing songs that are heartwarming and easy to relate to, without being heavy handed, cheesy or “hip”.

The Antlers – Burst Apart
Another band who slipped under my radar until recently, The Antlers have put out a new album that is certain to be near the top of many 2011 favorite music lists. It’s full of rich, mostly downtempo tunes, and manages to be dark without being dreary. And The Antlers were able to pull off an album mostly about love and heartbreak without sounding anything like the millions of other albums addressing the topic.

Thao & Mirah – Thao & Mirah
My friend Aaron, an occasional collaborator on this site, introduced me to Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn in 2004. I’ve been captivated with her music ever since, though I haven’t loved any of her work nearly as much as I do this near-perfect collaboration with Thao Nguyen (of Thao + The Get Down Stay Down). It’s got a lot of positive, raucous, noisy energy (including handclaps, Aaron!) amidst the stunningly soft, sultry and sweet vocals of both Thao and Mirah, contrasted with soft, acoustic guitar driven numbers featuring almost piercing vocals. I was instantly obsessed with this album, and I’m confident that you will be too.